Bed bottom



C. D. BROUYETTE.

BED BOTTOM. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 9. I921.

Patented 0ct.10,1922.

Patented Oct. 10, 1922.

CHARLES D. BROUYETTE, 0F TOPEKA, KANSAS.

BED BOTTOM.

Application filed September 9, 1921.

To all whom it may concem:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES D. BROU- YETTE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Topeka, in the county of Shawnee and State of Kansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in BedBottoms, of which the following is a'spe'cification' My invention relates to a bed bottom of the type comprising helical springs which are held in proper position by a wire fabric *or structure articulated with the upper coils of the springs. The principal object of my invention, generally speaking, is to rovide a novel bed bottom of this type w ich will be strong, resilient, and inexpensive to manufacture.

oreparticularly, the invention c ontem plates making the wire fabric or structure of a plurality of elements of identical form (except as modification is necessary at the margins of the structure), which elements are interengaged withthe springs, and preferably also with each other, to provide a fabric for retainingthe springs in their proper upright position, which will be flexiible, both longitudinally and transversely of i the bed bottom without lnvolving any bending of the wires of which said fabric is made. That is to say, there are no wires, at least there need be no wires, which extend across the structure from side to side, or from end to end, the fabric being made up essentially of shortlinks articulated with the springs and with each other in such a manner that the desirable flexibility in both directions is provided for by the articulations themselves. As a resultof this arrangement, the bed bottom is more resilient, and at the same time more durable, than one involving wires or cross rods which extend continuously across the structure, and must therefore bend on depression of any part of the bed bottom. V V,

The invention which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in several forms consists of the novel and improved arrangements and devices for carrying out the above stated objects, and such other objects as will 7 be mentioned in the following description of the illustrated structures.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a fragmentary plan view of a bed bottom constructedin accordance with my invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional-view on line 2-2 of Fig.1;

durable, very flexible and The upper coils of the springs are attached Serial No. 499,470.

Fig. 3 is a view in perspective of one of the articulations constituting a character istic feature of the invention;

Fig. 4. is a fragmentary view in perspective of one of tie links for holding the springs in their proper positions;

F ig.'5 is a fragmentary plan vview illus trating a modification;

Fig. 6 is a view in perspective of thetype articulation employed in the construction shown in Fig. 5; and

Figs. 7 and 8 are figures corresponding to Figs; and 6, respectively, illustrating another modification.

Referring first to Figs. .1, 2, 3 and at: the bed bottom therein shown is composed of a plurality of helical springs 10 of any suitable form, and a plurality of links 11 (Fig. 4L) engaged with each other and-with the upper coils of the springs in the peculiar.

manner shown. The bed bottom. will necessarily be supported upon a suitable sup porting framework which may be of any ole sired construction. I have indicated an angle iron framework 12 having supporting wires 13 attached thereto, springs 10 be ingmounted upon and attached to the sup-. porting wires, as indicated at 14 (Fig. 2).

by binding wires 15 to. a rectangular frame 16, preferably made of heavy wire. The mounting and attachment of the springs upon and to the supporting structure are matters of common practice, and form no part of my invention.

The-springs are preferably arranged in parallel rows, thisbeingthe common practice, and the connecting links 11 are dis posed in aplu'rality of series between the several rows, the series of links being in parallel and the links of each series arranged endto end. Each link engages the ends of adjacent links and four of the springs. The construction therefore does away entirely with any wires or otheffastening means ex tending transversely of the links. This arrangement simplifies the structure in comparison with bed bottoms as heretofore made, and reduces the cost of manufacture,

besides giving flexibility in. both directions,

as will be seen by consideration of the nature of the articulations provided for.

The upper coils 17 of the springs are formed with bends adapted to be engaged by the links. In the construction shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4, these bends or ofi'sets 18 are made by bending the wire of the coil at two points only; v12, at 19 and 20. This method of producing the offset is desirable when the wire of the spring is stiff and brittle, so that a minimum. of bending is advisable.

In the construction shown in Figs. and 6, the bend 21 is in the form of an indentation made by bending the wire at three points; viz, 22, 23 and 24:. In the construction shown in Figs. 7 and 8, the wire of the spring is also bent at three points; viz, 25, 26 and 27, but so as to produce an outward projection 28. The construction shown in Figs. 5 to 8 inclusive has certain advantages, as will be hereinafter mentioned, but involves a dis advantage if the wire of the springs is liable to breakage when bent to the extent necessitated in these arrangements.

Returning to the construction shown in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive, the link 11 consists, preferably, of a single piece of wire bent to a three-sided configuration, providing two substantially parallel members 29 joined at one end of the link by a cross member 30, the extremities of the wire being each bent first backwardly to form a loop 31, and then for wardly to form a loop or hook 352. The cross member 30 is preferably offset a trifle below the plane of members 29.

The link thus formed is placed so that the.

cross member 30 bears against the edges of the bends 18 of oppositely arranged springs, the members 29 extending across the tops of the offsets. The loops 31 extend over and around the offsets of the next pair of springs (to the left of Fig. 1), and the loops or hooks 32 extend over, around and under the cross member 30 of the adjacent link. The links are thus articulated flexibly end to end, and the series of links are articulated flexibly with the'springs in such a way as not to slip on the springs, thereby holding the springs in proper relation, one with another, but so as to allow the tops of the springs to cant, if necessary. That is to say, the links will turn one upon the other on axes at right angles to the axes of the turning movements as between the links and the springs.

The d'fferences between the constructions shown in Figs. 5 to S inclusive, and the construction shown in Figs. 1 tot inclusive, withrespect to the form of the bends or offsets in; the springs, have already been noted. The constructions of Figs. 5 to 8 inclusive have, however, this advantage, that they permit a reverse arrangement of the links of alternate series. This arrangement is not essential, as the links might be turned all in the same direction, as in Figs. 1 to 4, but when they are reversed in alternate series, as shown in Figs. 5 to 8. the possibility of the tops of the springs tilting laterally, so to speak,

which is present in the first described construction, is obviated. That is, referring to Fig. 1, the right hand side of the spring cannot tilt dowiiwardly because members 29 of the links extend across theprojections 18, but the left-hand sides of the sprin may tilt down to a certain extent. it is deemed desirable to correct this, the bends in the springs may be formed as shown in F igs. 5 andG or Figs. 7 and 8, and the links in alternate series reversed. Take for example the spring shown in the lower part of Fig. 5: the member 29 of link 11 extends over the projection 23 at one side of the spring, while the oppositely turned link 11 on the other side of the spring extends across the projection 23 in the opposite ClilGCtlOIl. This prevents tilting of the spring either way.

A similar result is obtained by themrangement shown in Figs. 7 and 8. In Figs, 7 and 8 the links 11 of alternate series are also turned in opposite directions. The articulations of the modified constructions are in other respects-the same as those described in connection with Figs. 1 to 4 and in the drawings the parts are given corresponding numerals with the exponents a and b respectively.

In all the constructions shown, the end links of the series will have their extremities looped around the retaining wire or frame 16, as shown at 33.

While I have described my invention in certain preferred embodiments. it will be understood that further modifications are possible within the scope of the invention as 100 defined by the claims appended hereto.

I claim:

1. In a bed bottom, the combination of helical springs formed with lateral bends, and links consisting each of a wire formed 105 to provide a pair of members joined by a cross member, the links being arranged in series. end to end,; between the springs, and the extremities of each link being formed withpairs ofoppositely disposed loops ex- 110 tending lengthwise of the link, one below the other, in each case, the upper pair ofloops engaging the-bends of adjacent springs and the lower loops the cross piece ofanother link.

2. In a bed bottom, the combination of helical springs formed with lateral bends, and links consisting each of a wire formed to provide a pair of members joined by a cross member offset downwardly from the 120 other members, the links being arranged in series, end to end, between the springs, and the extremities of eachlink being formed with pairs of oppositely disposed loops extending lengthwise of the links,- and one 125 below the other, in each case, the upper pair of loops engaging the bends of the adjacent springs and the lower loops the cross piece of another link.

3, In a bed bottom, the combination of 130 helical springs formed with lateral bends, and links consisting each of a wire formed to provide a pair of members joined by a cross member offset downwardly, the links being arranged in series, end to end, between the springs, and the extremities of each link being formed to engage the lateral bends of of another link.

4:. In a bed bottom, the combination of helical springs arranged in rows, and means for retaining the springs in position comprising a series of three-sided wire links between each two rows of springs, the links being articulated with each other and with said springs, and the links in each series being turned in the opposite direction from that of the links in the adjacent series.

5. In a bed bottom, the combination of helical springs arranged in rows, each of the springs being provided with a triple adjacent springs and also the cross member bend at each side, and three-sided wire links arranged end to end and articulated with each other and with said springs for holding the springs flexibly in position, said links being arranged in alternate rows in opposite directions.

6. In a bed bottom, the combination of helical springs arranged in rows, each spring being formed with a pair of oppositely disposed inwardly extending projections, and a plurality of links consisting each of a wire formed to provide a pair of members joined by a cross member, the links being arranged in series, end to end, between the springs, with the links of alternating series turned in opposite directions, and theextremities of the links being formed to engage the projections of an adjacent pair of springs, and also the cross member of another link.

CHARLES D. BROUYETTE. 

